The Victorian e-waste ban is about to take hold from 1 July 2019. According to the new policies, you cannot dump your electronic waste into your regular everyday bin. So the question that arises is ‘what can and can’t you put in your wheely bins once the e-waste ban comes into effect?’.

This article will answer all of your questions.

What you can put in your bins post e-waste Ban

For the effective management of waste, we have divided the disposal option into different categories. This will help you to distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable waste. Take the three standard bins: use one of the bins to store recyclable waste, use the other bin for general waste and the last one for garden waste.

Recyclable Waste Bin

You can continue to dispose of the following items in your Recycling Bin: Plastic and Glass bottles, Jars, Paper, Tetra Pak packaging, Plastic food trays, Cardboard, Drink Cans, Cartons, Food tins, Aerosols.

General Rubbish Bin

The following are the items you can continue to dispose of in your general rubbish bin: food scraps, pet waste, sanitary products, nappies.

Garden Waste Bin

The following are the items you can continue to dispose of in your garden waste bin: tree trimmings, leaves, weeds, grass cuttings, tea bags.

So what can’t you put in your bins post e-Waste ban?

Batteries

Post e-waste ban, you will not be allowed to dump your batteries with your regular waste. The way these batteries will be disposed of depends upon what they are composed of. Alkaline batteries can be recycled, whereas the mercury-containing batteries require the separation of mercury to be discarded at one of the hazardous waste sites.

Single-Use Batteries: Single-use batteries no longer contain mercury. Therefore, many states allow them to be thrown away with regular waste. However, they still contain steel and zinc that can be recycled. Make sure to dispose of them at e-waste collection sites to be recycled.

Rechargeable Batteries: Unlike single-use batteries, the rechargeable batteries contain hazardous chemicals. These chemicals can’t be disposed of in the landfill as they are highly toxic. These batteries need to be disposed of at e-waste collection sites.

Light Bulbs

Light bulbs including high-intensity discharge bulbs, CFLs as well as fluorescent tubes and bulbs contain mercury. Therefore, these electrical household items must be disposed of properly.

Electrical Appliances

These items can be re-claimed by electronic manufacturers and reprocessed. Post e-waste ban you will not be allowed to discard your electronic appliances with your regular waste items. Not sure how to get it back to your manufacturer? Send us an enquiry and we can help you figure out the best recycling path.

Conclusion

Electronic pollution is one of the greatest threats our environment is facing today. It’s high time that we reconsider our practices and reform the ways we manage the waste. If you need to dispose of or recycle any of the electronic items listed in this blog, book your recycling service with EcoActiv or contact us for more information.